The Australian Greens have slammed the Liberal Government and Murray Darling Basin Authority for attempting to corrupt the South Australian Royal Commission by trying to stop officials from giving evidence, and hiding from the people of Mayo during an intense by-election campaign.

South Australia has been sold out and the Murray has been failed following the Ministerial Council’s decision to crabwalk away from the Murray Darling Basin Plan today, The Australian Greens say.

“Today’s decision by the Water Ministerial Council is a blow to South Australia and the survival of the River. The Turnbull Government and upstream states are crab-walking away from the objective of the Murray Darling Basin Plan – to save the River,” Greens Murray Darling Basin spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

Australian Greens Murray Darling Basin spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has written to South Australian Water Minister David Speirs urging him to fight for the delivery of 450GL of water to the river system at the upcoming Murray Darling Basin Ministerial Council meeting in Canberra.

“Like so many other South Australians, I urge the State Government to fight for SA and fight for the River. It is up to the Minister to ensure the River is not short-changed on vital environmental flows,” Greens Murray Darling Basin spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Australian Greens are urging the SA Government to stand up for the Murray and challenge New South Wales’ latest water grab on behalf of big cotton.

“The New South Wales Liberal National Government continues to sit on its hands while cashed up irrigators disregard and undermine the Murray Darling Basin Plan. If any other state behaved in this way, New South Wales would be hitting the nuclear button on the Plan entirely,” Greens Murray Darling Basin spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Australian Greens are thrilled to announce Major ‘Moogy’ Sumner AM, Ngarrindjeri elder, will contest the seat of Mayo in the upcoming by-election.

The Greens’ campaign will focus on putting people and the environment back at the centre of decision-making, including saving the Murray, protecting the Great Australian Bight, while fighting to address inequality and for more Aboriginal representation in the federal parliament.

Following yesterday’s disallowance vote in the Senate, where Labor and Liberal teamed up to cut 605 billion litres of water from the environment, the Government is today rushing further cuts to the River through Parliament. The 70 billion litres previously saved for the environment are now being put back on the table.

In fighting this backflip, the Australian Greens will also move to legislate the delivery of the 450 billion litres of water promised to South Australia to strengthen the health of the Murray.

Proposed changes to the Murray Darling Basin Plan that take 605 billion litres away from the environment must be blocked in the Senate next week to prevent the death of the Coorong and Lower Lakes.

“The Coorong and SA’s lower lakes are dying our river system needs more water, not less. The Senate must block the Government’s changes to the Murray Darling Basin Plan if the river system is to survive,” Greens Murray Darling Basin spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

Thanks to global warming, Australia’s water resources and the Murray Darling Basin are more important now than ever before. These shared, nationally significant assets must be protected for future generations.